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Harpsichord

The Handel House Harpsichord was made by Bruce Kennedy in 1998 and is based on the ‘Ruckers’ harpsichord that Handel was known to have had at 25 Brook Street. Bruce Kennedy copied a fine example of a Ruckers harpsichord, made by the famous Flemish harpsichord maker Ioannes Ruckers in 1624, now in the Musée D’ Unterlinden in Colmar, France. The instrument is thus known as the ‘Colmar Ruckers’. It is known that Handel’s instrument would have been expanded to 4½ or 5 octaves so that music of the 18th century could be played on it. The original Colmar Ruckers harpsichord was also given a ‘petit ravalement’ (extended) in the early part of the 18th century, and the Handel House Ruckers has an even larger compass of nearly five octaves. Though several instruments claim to be Handel’s Ruckers harpsichord including one in Fenton House, London, it is not certain if any of these belonged to Handel. Please take some time to look at the beautiful soundboard painting inside the harpsichord - in the style of a Ruckers painting.

  • Date:
    1998
  • Maker:
    Kennedy, Bruce
  • Collection:
    Handel House Museum
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  • Place of production:
    United Kingdom
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  • Repository:Handel House Museum